Rangers are no strangers to coming into close contact with wild animals. 

"We were out on a game drive with our guests when we spotted three young male lions on Buffalo planes,” says the ranger. “We positioned our vehicle in a way that offered our guests optimal viewing, when the lions all stood up and approached the vehicle. One lay down behind the vehicle and the other one moved towards the front and briefly stopped and looked at the tracker, so the ranger was unable to back away.”

He observed no aggressive behaviour from the lions. It was a very brief encounter and after a few minutes, the lion walked off and lay down about 10 metres away.

The 31st of July 2016, World Ranger Day will offer a chance to support these heroes' vital work, which ranges from environmental campaigning to education, to armed encounters with hardened rhino poaching criminals.

From: Traveller24